Add as a preferred source on GoogleTurkey Arrests Hex Founder Richard Heart, Seizes $7.15 Million
Heart’s wife was detained during the Oct. 14 operation, and three people identified as his bodyguards were detained later.
Turkey has arrested Hex (HEX) founder Richard Heart and seized $7.15 million in cash and six cold wallets after searching 15 locations in Istanbul, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek confirmed.
Police carried out the operation Wednesday, Oct. 14, across three Istanbul districts. They also seized seven firearms, including four long guns and three unlicensed handguns, along with 1,400 rounds of ammunition. Heart’s wife was detained during the operation, while three people identified as his bodyguards were detained later.
The searches also yielded electronics and valuables, including 29 phones, 12 laptops, 11 desktop computers, 19 SSDs and external drives, 46 USB drives, 19 graphics cards and 97 pieces of jewelry. Legal proceedings and examination of the seized items are continuing.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued Heart in 2023, alleging he sold unregistered crypto offerings that raised more than $1 billion. A federal judge dismissed the case in February 2025 for lack of jurisdiction, and the SEC did not amend its complaint by the deadline.
Riza Dagoc
Riza Dagoc reports on regulation, investing and the digital-asset business for TokenPost. Send corrections or tips to info@tokenpost.com.